What Degree Awarding Powers really mean for UCEN Manchester students

By Michael Walsh, Dean of UCEN Manchester

Following the announcement that UCEN Manchester has been awarded Degree Awarding Powers (DAPs), and ahead of our first UCEN Manchester-validated degrees starting in September 2026, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what this means for our students - both now and in the future.

This is an important milestone for us as a higher education provider, but it’s also part of a much bigger picture. We’ve always been focused on delivering high-quality, career-focused degrees in partnership with universities and employers. DAPs give us another way to build on that - not replace it.

So, what does it actually mean in practice?

1. Listening to students - and acting on it

Student voice has always been central to how we develop our courses. With DAPs, we’ve been able to take that even further on our first set of validated degrees. Students have been directly involved in shaping these programmes - from early ideas through to validation - helping us design degrees that reflect their ambitions, interests and future plans.

2. Shaped with industry, right here in Manchester

Working with employers isn’t new for us - it’s a big part of what UCEN Manchester is all about.

What DAPs give us is more flexibility to build on those relationships when developing our own degrees. Industry professionals have been involved in every validation panel, helping ensure our courses reflect the skills, techniques and expectations students will encounter when they enter the workplace.

It means what you learn here stays relevant - and rooted in where industry is heading.

3. Keeping courses up to date

Industries move quickly - and higher education needs to keep up.

By validating our own degrees, we can respond more quickly to change, whether that’s updating course content or developing new programmes in emerging areas. It’s about making sure what you’re studying reflects what’s happening now, not what was happening a few years ago.

_{4. The right mix of courses for our students}

We’ve always worked hard to offer a course mix that makes sense for our students and the industries they want to go into.

DAPs give us more flexibility to shape that offer in certain areas - creating courses that complement each other and open up more opportunities for collaboration, creativity and progression.

All of this sits alongside our continued partnerships with awarding bodies and universities, which remain a really important part of what we do.

5. A mark of quality

Achieving DAPs isn’t easy and it has taken a lot of hard work from a lot of people over a significant period of time. It requires meeting a very high bar in terms of quality, standards and student experience.

For our students, that offers reassurance - whether you’re studying on a UCEN Manchester-validated degree or one delivered with a partner - that you’re part of an organisation committed to delivering high-quality higher education.

Looking ahead

As we prepare to welcome students onto our first UCEN Manchester-validated degrees this September, there’s a real sense of pride across the organisation.

But more than anything, this is about opportunity - giving our students the best possible experience, staying connected to industry, and continuing to deliver degrees that work for Manchester and beyond.

That’s what we’ve always been about. DAPs simply give us more ways to do it.

Explore courses at UCEN Manchester and find out how to apply.